Thunderstorms
by Leopardheart-Naux-Kadaj
Summary: A little story I came up with. One-shot. Sora/Riku. Read and Review please!


_~Thunderstorms~_

_**A/N: Much to my dislike, I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor do I own any of its characters. Disney has that, and to make it fair, so does Square Enix, Rated T for: boylove (too soft to be yaoi, to hard to be shounen-ai...)*shrug* This takes place the fall after Sora, Riku and Kairi return from their journeys.**_

A pleasant, cool morning breeze ruffled Riku's silver hair, blowing his annoyingly lengthy bangs into his face as he waited for Sora. He leaned back against his midnight black Mustang, and shoved his hands into his navy blue pants pockets. A moment later, the brunette teenager exited his house, lazily dressed in his Destiny Island Academy school uniform—a white button-down shirt, navy blue pants, and a navy blue tie—and his spiky mocha-colored hair quickly combed through. He took his time approaching Riku, blinking away the clinging tendrils of memories and sleepiness, almost in a child-like fashion.

"You're late again, Sora," Riku told him, a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth to signal he was teasing.

Sora merely shrugged and smiled as he walked to the passenger side of the convertible. "It's just… different."

His best friend cocked an eyebrow as he slid into the leather driver's seat of the vehicle.

Sora hopped, literally, into Riku's black Mustang, leaping over the door and gracefully landing in his seat. He settled in, buckling up.

"I mean, last year I was asleep to regain my memories that Organization XIII had taken in Castle Oblivion," Sora explained.

"And I was protecting you," Riku added, semi-quietly.

"The year before I was defeating Heartless, fighting Xehanort and saving the world… er, world_s_," Sora continued.

Riku's grip on the steering wheel tightened. _I was helping destroy them, too caught up in trying to be as good as you… _But he kept that tidbit to himself, too ashamed to admit it.

"Being in school after that just seems… weird," the fifteen-year-old Keyblade wielder finished.

The rest of the school day, Sora couldn't concentrate on his actual schoolwork. His mind was elsewhere and he spaced off, thinking of a time long ago and distant, or so it seemed. His adventures across the many worlds seemed a lifetime ago, when his most recent one had only ended a month or two ago. He was supposed to be in physical education when he'd been fighting Heartless with every ounce of his being? What was a chorus class when he had sung a few duets with a _mermaid_? Why did Physics and Geometry when every law of them had been broken while Xemnas in a dimension of nonexistence?

But most of all, Sora kept thinking about the Realm of Darkness and what had been said there, and what he had left unsaid. There, Sora and Riku had been heroes, victory fresh in their minds. They could've spent eternity there, knowing everyone, all their friends were safe and to top it off, they had each other for best friends.

"_If the world is made of light and darkness, we'll be the darkness."_

Yes, hand-in-hand, side-by-side, the two teenagers who had faced everything together would've stayed in that realm of inky darkness to protect those they loved on the other side, in the Realm of Light. Two beings that darkness had failed to overtake would've thrived in that endless darkness to ensure Kairi, the King and everyone else's safety.

More than that, Riku and Sora's friendship had grown stronger with the secrets they'd shared.

"_Well, about what I said back there, about being better than you at stuff… The truth is Sora, I've always been jealous of you."_

"_What for?"_

"_I wished I could lived the way you do, just following my heart."_

"_Yeah well, I've got my share of problems too."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Wanting to be more like you."_

Riku was strong—in a literal, physical sense and as in headstrong and stubborn. A natural born leader perhaps, if he let himself do it. The silver-haired Keyblade wielder was intelligent and swift-footed too. Sora always felt second-best in comparison and looked up to him, wanting to be more like his older best friend.

And yet, all along, Riku wanted to be more like Sora. Sora was almost naïve, following an instinct from his heart without question. But that naivety, that innocence led him to do what was right, light over darkness, and Riku envied that the way Sora had envied him.

Before Sora knew it, the school hours were over and he was headed home. Still, Sora was pensive, his mind was focused on his past—this time on things he didn't say, and maybe should have. He skimmed through dinner, not exactly hungry. His mother worried for him, but he explained it was nothing with a reassuring smile.

Late at night, Sora tossed and turned, unable to sleep. As the full moon's pale light glared at him through his window, he gave up on sleep and redressed. He donned the outfit from the time when he was saving the worlds—short sleeved dark blue jacket over a light blue, red-pocketed shirt, halfway-down-the-calf baggy navy blue pants with various belts. He finished strapping on his shoes and headed to the island.

Ah, the island Sora, Riku and Kairi used to play on. Those sandy beaches from when they were younger and more innocent remained the same, the non-stop gentle push-and-pull of the waves still lapping at the shore.

Sora sat down near the lightly lapping waves, propped up by his gloved hands as he stared mindlessly out at the waves. Out here, he felt closer to his past and to his true self. He was much more at ease and less confused by the waves and the darkness than he was in the city with its artificial sounds and blinding lights. As he watched the never-ending waves, he lost himself to his past.

If Sora and Riku had truly been stranded in the Realm of Darkness, could they have survived like that?

Sora believed so, at first telling himself that Riku could never have replaced Kairi, but… as each day passed, the less he was sure of that. Had Kairi protected him with her everything, even becoming the darkness to do so? No, but Riku had. Had Kairi fought that final battle with him, nearly destroying herself in the process? No, but Riku had.

Slowly, subtly, Kairi became less of Sora's girlfriend—less passionate kisses to no kisses at all; they forgot the feel of each other's hands as the public displays of affection stopped—and more of a second close friend. Sora would rather have Kairi as just a friend as he struggled to sort out his feelings, the ones he couldn't deny, than for the redhead to find out in an unfitting way and break her heart.

"Hey, you okay?"

Sora nearly jumped as Riku's deep voice broke through his reverie. "Um, yeah, I'm fine."

Riku copied Sora's sitting position. He inhaled the salty ocean breeze through his mouth and exhaled loudly. "Reminds me of old times."

"You mean before everything or the Realm of Darkness?" the brunette male asked.

"The Realm of Darkness. It was just you and I. Everything was, relatively, okay. Sometimes, I kind of wish we could go back," the silver-haired sixteen-year-old admitted.

Sora smiled, thinking the same thing. "What for, though?"

"Sometimes, I still think of myself as part of the darkness, and that's where I belong. And it's so different now," Riku explained quietly. "I'm not risking my life, I'm not struggling, and honestly, I'm… useless. Back there, I knew who I was and what I felt and though I was surrounded by what I called my enemy… I had you, Sora. That's all that mattered to me. I had my best friend back."

Sora didn't want those words to sting his heart. '_Best friend.'_

"Sora, are you sure you're okay?" Riku asked, edging closer to the fifteen-year-old.

"Yeah,… I'm fine…" Sora tried to brush off his feelings but they lingered yet.

"You can tell me anything, y'know. You can trust me," the silver-haired Keyblade wielder murmured softly, worried for his best friend.

The smaller boy slowly shook his head, not meeting the older boy's eyes. "Not this."

Suddenly Riku's warm, callused hands were cupping Sora's face, forcing the blue-eyed boy to look dead into his icy eyes. "Sora."

Sora had never heard that tone from Riku before. It was a warning, like telling him not to hold back, because if he did, he'd regret it. Sora didn't want to hold back, but how could he explain what was going on in his head, his heart? Hot, salty tears welled in his sapphire-blue eyes as he couldn't force the words past the lump in his throat. Riku was, as he just stated, his best friend. Why was he so scared to just be honest?

Riku brushed away the translucent tears with his thumb, patiently waiting for Sora to speak.

"Riku… I'm gay," Sora confessed, closing his eyes to block out the inevitable rejection he would receive. His voice was thick with tears and shaky with the lack of confidence he had in he and Riku's friendship at that moment.

There was a pause before Riku spoke. "That's okay, Sora."

Sora was surprised as Riku embraced him, pulling him close to his warm, muscled chest. But Sora was not relieved, not yet. He wasn't finished. He pushed lightly against Riku's chest. "No, no, no, it's not okay."

Riku pulled away slightly to look at Sora's face. "What's wrong?"

Sora had the decency to meet Riku's ice-blue eyes. "I… I'm gay because I'm in love with you, Riku."

There was a longer pause this time as Riku peered at Sora's finely tanned face, searched those beautiful blue eyes for a hint of a lie. But all he could see was a distressed teenage face, love and grief shining in the depths of those blue irises. Riku pulled Sora close again, where Sora buried his face in his pale neck, breathing in his unique, wonderful scent as he hugged him back.

Sora's eyes widened as Riku whispered softly in his ear. "That's okay too, because Sora… I'm gay too. I love you."

"R-really?"

"No, Sora, I just lied to you," Riku replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as Sora pulled away to look at him.

Sora chuckled at his own idiocy, blushing a light pink.

"I realized what I felt for you when I was protecting you as you slept to regain your memories. I refused to let you be hurt; I made sure you slept in peace. But I lied to myself, and told myself we were only friends and that was all we'd ever be and because of all that was going on with the darkness, I could believe that. But when we came home… I couldn't anymore. I thought, after all I'd put you through, all that I had said… Sure, you'd forgiven me, but you could never love me how I loved you. And it hurt to think that, but I accepted it." Riku bowed his head after he finished, hiding the pain inside.

Sora listened and tried to understand. Yes, Riku had made mistakes in the past by trusting Xehanort and his inner darkness, but did he truly believe that excluded him from being loved?

Sora was the one to cup Riku's face in his gloved hands and looked into his ice-blue eyes. Pain was reflected there, peppered with guilt and even perhaps want.

_I'll take your pain, _Sora thought.

Sora pressed his soft lips to Riku's gently, tentatively in a tender kiss. Their first kiss was loving and chaste. He pulled away and planted another one on him, more passionate and with more feeling. Riku licked along Sora's bottom lip, asking for entrance and Sora willingly allowed it to him. Riku's tongue slipped between Sora's parted lips and they explored each other's mouths, battling for dominance.

Sora was taken back to the Realm of Darkness, he and Riku alone. The secret that passed between them now made them not close friends, but lovers.

Sora pinned Riku beneath him, straddling him and kissed him hard and passionately. He felt Riku's hands slide down to his waist and yank him closer as he kissed back with equal fervor.

"Sora," Riku moaned against the younger boy's lips, making the brunette smile and blush.

Sora broke away from their passionate kissing as thunder rolled above them and icy raindrops pelted down on them, startled.

"How about a kiss in the rain, Sora?" Riku asked, smirking.

Sora felt his cheeks flush as he thought, _Those lips smirking at me like that are rather inviting, sexy even_, feeling rather turned on.

Sora leaned down and kissed those sexy smirking lips, quickly and fiercely. Riku kissed back with as much zeal, keeping up his smirk, noticing how it turned on the fifteen-year-old. The dark brunette gasped as a flash of white lightning cracked above them, followed by a thunder crash. His head jerked up, his blue gaze slightly fearful.

"You're not still afraid of thunderstorms, are you, Sora?" Riku asked, his ice-colored eyes flashing with concern.

"N-no. Why would you think that?" Sora answered defensively.

Sora cringed as it thundered again. He immediately felt foolish—he could fight with Xemnas, a ruthless Nobody just fine but flinched at a little thunder? It made no sense, but ever since he was little, he was afraid of storms.

"Hey, Sora, I'll race you to that secret cavern," Riku suggested before adding with an audible smirk and a soft blow of air to Sora's ear, "If I win, I'm on top."

Sora's tanned face flushed once more, severely turned on by the things Riku could do to work him up as he stood. Riku leaped to his feet and took off, looking at Sora over his shoulder and smirking. Sora pelted after him, smiling. Because Riku had had a small head start, what with Sora paralyzed with Riku's playful seductiveness, the silver-haired teenager beat him to the cavern.

As Sora dashed in after him, Riku immediately grabbed Sora in his arms, and pinned him against a cavern wall. He planted an enthusiastic kiss on his lips before trailing across his jaw, down his neck. Sora tried to keep his self-control but a few whimpering moans escaped him.

"W-were you serious, Riku? About... being on top?" Sora asked as Riku nibbled his earlobe.

Riku met Sora's eyes. "No, I wasn't. I just admitted my love for you and vice versa. Besides, Sora… as much as I love you... I don't think we can be together…"

Sora sat down, and Riku sat across from him. "Why can't I be your boyfriend, Riku? I love you, always have…"

"Because, Sora, I can do a lot of things for you. I've made you laugh and smile, and blush and moan. But I've also made you cry. I… I can't make you happy. Not after what I've done," Riku explained, looking at the cavern floor.

Sora scooted closer to him, and cupped Riku's cheek with one hand. Riku instinctively leaned in to Sora's touch, something he had longed for for so long. "Yes, you can Riku. I forgive for what you've done. Riku, look at me. _I love you."_

Riku did look at Sora, deep into those sapphire blue eyes. All he could see was affection, love… all of his own feelings for Sora reflected back at him. Sora seemed so perfect, something Riku had admired in him and fallen in love with. But though Riku was imperfect and had faced many struggles, Sora loved him for it. Sora's deep blue eyes, like his own, couldn't lie.

"I love you too Sora," he whispered softly.

They kissed once more, and like the first time it was chaste, pure. And after they pulled apart, Sora crawled into Riku's lap, his head resting on Riku's broad shoulder. He listened to the rain pouring outside, to the beating of Riku's heart and his soft breathing. Riku rested his chin on Sora's softly curved shoulder and held him. As they fell asleep, they were filled with a type of happiness so pure and fulfilling, it was nearly overwhelming. It was a happiness only the truest form of love could give them. Sora had Riku and Riku had Sora, forever and always.

_**A/N: A little bit of fluff for the ending, because I really just couldn't resist. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review. This is my first attempt at something Sora/Riku that actually y'know meant something to me. Anyway, flamers save your time and go elsewhere. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated.**_

_**[Edit 11/14/12: Ugh, going back and rereading I can understand why there are no reviews. I personally like it, but I'm biased. I adore SoRiku, jesus, I can't even - I mean for fuck's sake it's basically canon - and is my OTP besides Akuroku (which I'm writing several of right now - Fatal Remedy has been on hiatus for way too long, I'm starting one called 813 Shades of Red *punpun* *winkwink* *nudgenudge* *sucks at being subtle* and then there's Without A Word hiding in my drawer.  
>But anyway, I have other SoRiku that I intend to put up here, better written ones, maybe more angsty, less fluff. But hey, I tried... And therefore no one should flame me.]<br>**_

_**~Naux**_


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